


The Last Son of Skonn

by Sarek and Amanda Archive Maintainer (Selek)



Series: S'Hmo [4]
Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Alternate Reality, Elizabeth Leicester, Humor, Tongue-in-cheek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-25
Updated: 2013-03-25
Packaged: 2017-12-06 11:37:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/735212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selek/pseuds/Sarek%20and%20Amanda%20Archive%20Maintainer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Amanda talks about Sarek's 'other brother'—the one we never hear about.</p><p>Written by Elizabeth Leicester.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Last Son of Skonn

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Notes: Sometime back Terry said something about me writing a S'hmo story. Well, here is my version. Watch out for the abrupt ending-- I'm not completely happy with it—but... I don't think there will be any more and I didn't want to just chuck it. 
> 
> If this story feels incomplete, that's probably because it is. There seems to be more to Sren than Amanda is willing to tell, so this is all we're getting—at least for the time being.

~~**~~  
  
  
Poor S'hmo.  I always feel sorry for him.  He is Sarek's youngest brother.  His name is really Sren, but someone at the Fed School he attended dubbed him a 'shmo' once and it stuck.  Vulcans have no knowledge of old Earth languages.  I swear most of them think it's his given name.  Even his family calls him that.  Poor S'hmo.   
  
He is the baby of the family, the last child.  I don't think his parents were actually planning on him, despite the Time and all those Vulcan myths and 'doing your utmost for your planet.'  The kindest that might be said of it all was that he was a 'superfluous accident.'  But we don't discuss such things.  It isn't polite.  It's also irrelevant.  I may be giving you the impression that Sren was 'unwanted' and that would be erroneous.  All children on Vulcan are welcomed in the family with ceremony and ritual that bespeaks of longing and thankfulness at the safe delivery of both mother and child.  As this is true, even of mongrel children, it is just as true of 'shmos.'  I was not there, but I imagine that Sren's Welcoming Ceremony was just as rich and full as that of his siblings.  
  
He was ten when Spock was born.  I remember this because he was the first to Visit after we brought our Halfling home.  As part of the Welcoming, it is customary for family to Visit, to offer a Touch—a blessing to the new child who has been brought into this world.  But Spock, for all the planning and genetic manipulation and general acrobatics that had to occur in order to ensure his conception and development, seemed to be wanted only by his parents.  When I looked at him, I saw his father and my heart.  The same could not be said of Sarek's family.  When they gazed upon this newling's visage, they could only see komihn—except for Sren.  He has a way of looking beyond the physical—most of the time.  I do remember when this gift seemed to have failed him, however.  
  
After Spock's birth, Sren had taken to hanging out at our house whenever we weren't off-planet somewhere.  I think he took comfort in being with us, the other outcasts of the family.  While Sarek compensated for his family's censure by being 'Super Vulcan,' Sren protected himself by withdrawing.  At family gatherings, he was almost invisible.  I've always said Sren would have made an excellent human.  He is honest, intelligent and gentle.  But logic and emotional control have always eluded him and while he would test as 'bright normal' on a human scale for intelligence, it was not quite up to Vulcan standards.  So, while they cared for him and cherished him, he could never fulfill his parents' expectations.  I, on the other hand, didn't have such expectations and Sarek, while not uncaring, was rather indifferent.  So we could provide a rather stress-free environment.  He was also an excellent baby-sitter.  Sren would often collect Spock on his way home from school and the two of them  would then take the public transport to the house.  When I arrived, Spock would usually be asleep and Sren would be in the communal area, studying avidly.  
  
One day, after grading one essay too many, I decided I'd had enough and went to start on dinner.  I was in the middle of chopping up fruits and vegetables when Sren came into the kitchen and sat on a high stool to watch.  He was about fifteen then, I think.  He snagged a couple of _tarin_ root slices and sat, munching.  
  
'There's a girl at school,' he said quietly.  It was a statement no other Vulcan would ever make.  It was illogical for one thing.  Of course there was a girl at school.  By this time in his life, his family had little patience for him.  But since this would not have been an unusual opening statement for a shy, human teenager, it didn't throw me.  
  
'Indeed,' I stated, trying to hide my smile.  Sometime back, I had recommended that Sren leave his staid private school and attend the Federation run school at the Terran Embassy.  He had always been ridiculed but his studies had begun to fall off.  While he was none too pleased, even Skon could see this might be better for his youngest son and Sren had been attending the Fed school ever since.  It didn't hurt that I taught there as well.  
  
'Yes, she is my lab partner in physics class,' he told me.  'She is also in my trig class, but it is not so easy for her.  Could I, perhaps, invite her here to study?'  
  
'I suppose,' I said.  Since Sren was not your average Vulcan, I wondered how much studying they would actually do.  I also realised that it would fall on me if they were to engage in any activity which might be viewed as unseemly.  'Who is this girl?'  
  
'Kayla Patterson,' he stated.  'She has jade green eyes.'  
  
 'I bet she does,' I grinned as I sliced up some cone fruit.  Poor S'hmo.  He would develop a crush on a dyke.  'Uh, Sren, I think it's fine for you to invite Kayla over to study, but I don't think you should—expect anything more.'  
  
Sren cocked his head at my statement, looking, for a moment, more Vulcan than he ever had, or probably ever would.  'Kayla requested my assistance,' he stated, a bit confused.  'Is it not my duty to help her?'  
  
'Yes,' I agreed.  'And you should.  But...' I trailed off, uncertain as to what I should say, what I could say.  Vulcans have so many taboos in this area and while Skon and T'Lara were more than content to have Sren out of their proverbial hair, they would not be so forgiving if I were to overstep my bounds.  
  
Suddenly the light seemed to dawned for Sren.  I could see it on his face.  'Oh,' he said.  'You think that I would take advantage of a study period to.' Not even he could go there.  'Amanda, I would never-it would not be honourable.'  
  
I gently patted his hand, something else one usually couldn't do with Vulcans.  'I know,' I said.  'You're a good kid, just be careful.'  
  
Poor S'hmo.  It took six months for him to discover that he wasn't the wrong species, he was the wrong gender.  To his credit, I don't think anyone ever saw his anguish but me.

**Author's Note:**

> More S'Hmo stories can be found at http://www.fanfiction.net/u/883611/


End file.
